Reputation is the new regulation
With the rapid rise of AI, unregulated information platforms, and ever-increasing expectations of transparency, trust has become one of the biggest live issues facing the safety industry. In this environment, reliance on compliance as a differentiator is no longer sufficient. Brands are increasingly judged by how they behave, real-world proof points and on consistency.
In short: reputation is becoming the mechanism that governs the trust factor.
That’s why we hosted an exclusive webinar in partnership with the BSIF, the leading industry voice, to bring their members together to unpack the pressure points shaping trust in 2026 and to discuss solutions.
As specialists in brand, reputation management and digital strategy, we wanted to provide practical, member-relevant insight that helps organisations strengthen credibility in a changing landscape.
The key tension points we explored
- Compliance vs differentiation: compliance is baseline “hygiene”; trust is earned beyond the legal minimum
- Price pressure vs safety leadership: procurement-led cost pressure as a major barrier to trust-building
- Proof vs promises: the growing need for visible evidence (not just claims)
- AI discovery vs credibility: incorrect AI answers, shallow summaries, and deepfakes risk shaping perception and decision-making
- Speed & transparency vs reputational risk: how issues are handled often matters more than what happened
What we tackled in the session
We shared clear takeaways and shared practical tips on how to:
- Position brands with clarity in a market where trust signals are increasingly scrutinised
- Demonstrate genuine safety leadership through culture, behaviour, and proof (e.g., documented testing, wear trials, risk-assessment-led recommendations)
- Improve credibility in AI-shaped journeys, so brands are more likely to be represented accurately where people now search and ask questions
- Protect reputation when things go wrong by responding fast, communicating transparently, and showing accountable action
How we built the insight
Using our Brand Potential Insight team, we carried out a mix of qualitative and quantitative research consisting of interviews with BSIF members and our own industry focused survey. These findings shaped the evidence-led and discussion-driven webinar.
Thank you to all BSIF members who joined and contributed, your perspectives made the session sharper, more relevant, and more actionable.
If you missed it, you can watch the full webinar here: